This invention relates to cooling units for use with cooling system heat exchangers of internal combustion engines, and more particularly to cooling units that as include air ducts for directing air flows from heat exchangers of the cooling units.
Cooling systems are known that employ a plurality of heat exchangers to reject heat from various other systems of an internal combustion engine and/or a vehicle carrying the internal combustion engine. For example, such cooling systems may include an air radiator for rejecting heat from the engine coolant, a charge air-cooled cooler, and/or an oil cooler. Some of these cooling systems employ an auxiliary heat exchanger, such as an oil cooler, and a separate air duct that directs the air flow for the oil cooler, with special mounting brackets or fasteners for each of the auxiliary heat exchanger and the air duct to mount the components relative to the internal combustion engine. One such system is shown in DE 44 37 946 C2.
While such known cooling systems may perform acceptably for their intended purpose, there is always room for improvement. For example, in the internal combustion engine and vehicle industry, there is a continuing desire to make such systems more compact and/or lighter in weight and/or less expensively and/or easier to assemble.
In accordance with the invention a cooling unit is provided for use with a cooling system of an internal combustion engine. The cooling system includes a first air-cooled heat exchanger to reject heat from a first medium, such as an air-cooled radiator that rejects heat from a coolant of the internal combustion engine. The cooling unit includes a second air-cooled heat exchanger to reject heat from another medium to an air flow, an air receiver, and at least one releasable clamp to tighten the air receiver against the second heat exchanger. The second heat exchanger includes an inlet for the air flow, an outlet for the air flow, and an outer perimeter extending between the inlet and the outlet. The air receiver is connectable to the first heat exchanger and surrounds the outer perimeter of the second heat exchanger. The air receiver includes an inlet end for the air flow, an outlet end for the air flow, and an air duct extending between the inlet end and the outlet end to direct the air flow from the outlet of the second heat exchanger to the outlet end of the air receiver. The inlet end and the inlet are substantially coplanar.
In one embodiment, the air receiver includes a first wall extending from the inlet end to the outlet end, and a second wall extending from the inlet end to the outlet end opposite to the first wall. Preferably, a part of one of the first and second walls proximate to the outlet end is angled toward the other wall to direct the air flow.
In one embodiment, the clamp includes a tension member including a first end engaged with the first wall proximate to the inlet end, a second end engaged with the second wall proximate to the inlet end, and an elongated part extending from the first end to the second end.
In one form, the first end of the tension member includes a bracket and the air receiver includes a catch extending away from the first wall proximate to the inlet end. The bracket extends from the elongated part to rest on the first wall and has an opening to receive the catch.
In one form the second end of the tension member includes a foot part, and the air receiver includes a socket on the second wall proximate to the inlet end. The foot part is connected with the elongated part and engaged in the socket to restrict torsional movement of the foot part relative to the air receiver.
In one embodiment, the clamp includes a tighten member extending through the socket and engaged with the tension member to tighten the first wall and the second wall against the second heat exchanger.
In one embodiment, the air receiver further includes a plurality of spaced support ribs on an exterior side of at least one of the first and second walls. Each rib extends from the inlet end toward the outlet end.
In one form, the air receiver includes a plurality of spaced support ribs connecting the first wall to the second wall. The ribs extend between the outlet of the second heat exchanger and the outlet end of the air receiver.